Migrating Connections

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When migrating form connections, it is important to verify that your connections and forms have the correct permissions. This will ensure that the connections work appropriately. See the Connection Permissions topic for additional detail.

 

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Exporting a Connection

Importing a Connection

    Import Scenario A

    Import Scenario B

Refreshing a Connection

 

 

 

Exporting a Connection

 

Note: If the form you are exporting contains functionality that is dependent on a connection, you must also migrate the applicable connection. The connection migration must be complete for the form to be imported without error. The recommended sequence of migration for forms or reports that have connection dependencies is:

1. Connection

2. Form

3. Report

 

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To export the connection:

1.Go to the Connections Dashboard and in the tree expand the connection type of the connection that you want to export.
2.In the details area, click the Migrate button. You will be prompted to export the connection and its actions. Actions optionally receive data from a form which they then pass on to the connection or they can simply call the connection. For a detailed description of connection actions, see Defining Connection Actions.

Migrate Dialog

3.Click OK. You are prompted to save the file to your local directory.

Note: If you intend to migrate a connection for lookups and other form functionality, you will need to export the form file as well. From the Forms Dashboard, select Edit Forms in the tree. Locate the form to migrate and in the details area click Migrate.

 

 

Importing a Connection

 

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To import the connection:

1.Go to the Connections Dashboard and click Import.

Import Option in Menu Bar

Import Dialog (File Selection)

2.Click Browse and select the .PF file that corresponds to the connection you want to import.  Click Next.

Import Dialog (Success Message)

3.If the connection was uploaded successfully, you will see the success message. Click Done.
4.Now, if needed, you may import the form using this connection and any reports associated with it. See Importing a Form File.

 

 

EXAMPLES

 

Listed below are two specific scenarios dealing with importing form connections.

 

Scenario A - Form 1 uses a form connection to get the instances of Form 2.

 

1.Import Form 2 and publish the form.
2.Import the connection and test it.
3.Import Form 1 and publish the form.

 

 

Scenario B - Form is using a form connection on itself.

 

1.Import and publish the form.
2.Import the connection and test it.
3.Use the Migrate button to import the form again as a new version and publish it.

 

 

 

Note: Known issue (specific to v1.14) - Prior to migrating connections that were created in versions 1.13 and before, you must first refresh the connection. Complete the steps below for each connection you want to refresh.

 

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To refresh the connection:

1.Find a form that calls the connection you want to refresh and open it in the Form Designer.
2.Locate a Connect behavior that calls the connection. The behavior will be linked to some event on the form. There are a variety of ways to use a Connect command, including:
•When the form is loaded. In that case, click in the gray area behind the layout canvas (loading the Form Properties in the Properties bar).
•When a specific field is updated. In that case, locate the field and click on it (loading the field properties in the Properties bar).
•When the form user moves to another page in the form. In that case, click on the Page button (loading the Page Properties in the Properties bar).
3.In the Behaviors section of the Properties bar, click on the event that links to the connection. The Behaviors view is loaded.
4.On the Behaviors canvas, select the Connect command, loading the properties in the Properties bar. The name of the connection will be shown in those properties.
5.You have refreshed the connection and updated its functionality for version 1.14 and higher. Close the form and proceed with the export/import steps described earlier in this topic.

Updated: 06/12/2011  Page url: http://www.perfectforms.com/Documentation/manual/html/?admin_migrating_a_connection.htm
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